Thought you couldn't get a french manicure because you have short nails? Think again. Short nails don't often appear in the stunning nail art designs on Pinterest, but this doesn't mean they can't take the spotlight. Whether you're in the stage of growing your nails out or you just prefer shorter talons, a soft french manicure gradient looks best on shorter nails.

This design is a pink and white gradient that begins pink at the base of the nail and gradually gets lighter towards a completely white tip. The french manicure gradient works well on shorter nails as there isn't a sharp white edge that shows where the nail bed ends and the nail tip begins. It gives the illusion that the nail tips are longer as the white tip gradient fades, avoiding those sharp white lines.

To achieve this look you'll first need to use a good quality base coat and then paint a light pink as a base colour. Once dry, take a makeup sponge and begin layering the pink and white onto the sponge (you can buy these from a dollar shop), overlapping a little. Sponge off the excess onto a piece of paper, and begin dabbing onto the nail. You'll need to build up a few layers until you get the gradient effect, so don't be put off when it doesn't look like the photos after the first application. Be sure to roughly work out how big your nail bed is so you get the whole nail covered in polish. Once completely dry, use a super shiny, fast-dry topcoat and there you have it! This manicure requires a lot of clean-up, so I'd suggest using a liquid tape designed for nail art to protect the cuticles. See the video above for a tutorial to perfect the gradient technique.

Scroll on to see how other nail artists have created their own french manicure gradient to find inspiration for your DIY manicure.